Waking Nightmare
by Crazy
Summary: ONE SHOT! The Pilots had to rescue two of their own, but was it in time? FINISHED!


Disclaimers: I don't own 'em *sad sigh* 

Rated - Prolly PG 13 but language (little as there is) may shoot it up to R 

Angst, mention of Rape, Language

****

Waking Nightmare

By 

Crazy

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Duo gently shifted the slumbering form in his lap; thankful Wufei could sleep at all with the horrors he had been put through these last few days. The fact he was exhausted enough to have slid into such a compromising position was a testament to how tired, physically as well as emotionally, the Asian really was.

Gritting his teeth, the American surpressed a growl. ~How _DARE_ they hurt his friends.~ Lost in thought, his grip tightened, causing an uncharacteristic whimper from the stoic Dragon.

Wincing, he relaxed slightly and began drawing soothing circles along the other's outer ear. "Shhhh. You're with us now Wu." He said rhythmically, trying to reassure himself as well as the slumbering Preventer. Still, Wufei grimaced in fear. ~Most likely a result of the torture he and Quatre had gone through.~ He worried to himself.

Thinking of the blond, Duo glanced across medical bay to where Trowa was assisting Sally in bandaging the comatose youth. This time he did let the growl slide out as frustration overtook him.

Two days they had been held captive. Two days of unknown torture. Though judging from some of the injuries the Blond supported, maybe it was better that they did not know. 

Squeezing his brimming eyes shut, he leaned his head back against the wall. He hated feeling so helpless. Yet what could he do? Now that they had their comrades back safe....~But not sound.~ His mind reminded him........and the base destroyed, there was nothing left to take his frustrations out on.

Through closed eyes, Duo sensed a presence come near. Sitting straighter he opened them, his arms once again tightening over the vulnerable form in his lap, only to relax when he realized it was Heero.

"How is he?" The Japanese man questioned, as he squatted down on his haunches.

Not knowing what else to do, Duo just pressed his lips together. What could he say? The evidence was obvious. Taking a breath, he looked down. Wufei's visage was still contorted in its nightmare form. Bruises and cuts overlaying what was once a beautiful face. Absently he traced one of the deeper cuts, the one which had just missed taking out an onyx eye. Acknowledging this fact made the American clench his fist as his anger threatened to overwhelm him. 

It took him a few moments to calm down enough to remind himself he would be no good to Wufei if he let his rage take a permanent hold. With a sigh, he bit his bottom lip. ~Please let nothing else go wrong.~ On cue, the sleeping figure whimpered and tried to pull away for the braided Preventer. Who immediately resumed the tracing of the delicate ear and murmuring reassurances.

Placing his own hand momentarily upon his friend's brow, Heero scowled. His thoughts trapped in a viscous cycle. ~If we had only gotten to them before.....~

He felt it was somehow his fault. He blamed himself for not finding their location sooner. Yet deep down he knew what was done was done. There was nothing he could do to change it. Feeling the weight of failure towards his friends, he hunched his shoulders and placing his face in his hands in a form of defeat.

~I failed them. Me. I _Failed_.~ Shivering at the inconceivable thought that kept looping through his brain, Heero didn't notice the steps approach from the other side of sick bay. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder, that he looked up. Trowa momentarily glanced down at him, showing his own face was haggard with worry.

"Quat?" Duo croaked out, his throat constricted.

"Sally," Trowa returned his gaze back to the table behind him, his hands clenching in rage. "She sent me over here." Wrenching his emerald eyes away, he swallowed hard. "I don't think she wanted....." Irritably he unclenched and re-clenched his fists. "Wanted..." Closing his eyes he breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. "They raped him. The Bastards RAPED him." He ground out through clenched teeth.

The very thought of someone hurting such a gentle and kind person had caused him distress, but to learn to what extent they had gone, had shattered his normally closed facade. Shakily he brought his hands up to grip his upper arms in an attempt to calm down. Losing his composure was not going to help the situation. And the confusion as to why he was so affected was disconcerting as well. In frustration he spun on his heel and headed for the door. Over his shoulder he called, "Come get me if anything changes." Then he was gone.

Stunned, Duo turned back to Heero to find even the perfect soldier was struggling to regain his hold on his emotions. "Heero." He whispered, afraid of wake the sleeping form in his lap. "Maybe you should go talk to Trowa. I am worried about him." ~And you.~ he added mentally.

Finding it something to do, the Brunette stood and left the sick bay the same way as the Clown.

Duo sighed heavily once he was gone. It looked like he was going to have to work harder now to get their spirits lifted. But who was going to be _his_ rock? He may be the prankster, the one to try to ease the gravity of any situation, but he knew well that he would not be able to keep it up without someone there to support him. And now the three he looked too were in tough shape, while his partner in moral support was worse off then any of them. 

Life was cruel, and it seemed he was forever being reminded of it. Closing violet eyes, he tried to think back to a time when he had been innocent of this fact. Growing up on the streets, having to fend for himself.... Had he ever been innocent? . The cruelty had not just touched him though. Absently he stroked the black haired head in his lap. It was every where. Even the innocent weren't truly innocent. 

Looking down once again, he noticed Wufei's breathing had quickened, fully caught up in his nightmare. Pulling the dragon closer to his chest he started his murmuring over again, hoping the vibrations might ease the troubled young man. 

N....no..stop." Came the whimper, as a battered hand weakly pushed against the healthy Preventer's chest.

"It`s okay, Wu. I won`t let anything happen."

"Leave `m `lone. Stop." His voice seemed to get caught on a sob. "I`ll....I`ll let you. Jus' stop." The sobbing came then, hard and retched. They shook his whole body, harder then Duo thought possible.

Tightening his hold on the shivering form, he prayed Wufei's nightmare would end. Prayed that maybe this wasn't the Asian's, but his own nightmare, and he was going to wake up to pancakes and eggs in the morning.

Snorting at the absurd thought, the braided young man glanced wearily towards Sally and her patient again, but that was all he could handle. Suppressing a shudder, he looked away, clenching his teeth against the multitude of feelings that fought to surface. 

It was hard, but somehow he knew they would get through it......They had too. ~Somehow.~

"D.....duo?" .

Startled, the Braided man looked down into watery black eyes. "Well there you are." He murmured quietly as he brushed a stray lock from the other man's forehead.

"Quatre.?"

"Sally has him now, Wufei. He is in good hands." Conscious that perhaps the other man would want to sit up, Duo started helping him, but the shorter man only clung to his shirt in desperation.

"Duo, they were going to hurt him more." Wufei whispered harshly, reliving the past. "I fought them off but he was already too weak." The young man buried his face into his friend's chest. "It`s my fault." He whispered with self-loathing.

"No! None of it is your fault." He replied, shifting to a more comfortable position. "I don't blame you and neither would Quatre." ~Please, Wufei. Believe that.~

"But he would." He insisted. "He must blame me." He shuddered again. "Because I could not get to him. I could not stop them." Rushing, Wufei continued. "I caused him all that pain. All the time they were hurting him....they `couldn't touch me. They said all I had to do was say yes, to give in, and they said they would leave him alone....They said they Would. And I did....I _DID_ say yes, but.......they lied. After they were done with me, they went back to him." Deflating, the Asian buried his face once more in the other man's shirt. 

Confused, as well as concerned by his words, Duo wisely said nothing. Opting for silent reassurance and comfort instead.

Minutes later the broken man pulled slightly away to look into his eyes. "Duo.....please tell me." He begged, shuddering. "I..i..is it still rape if I said Yes?"

Duo felt his stomach take a leap. ~So much for pancakes and eggs, anyone have some Pepto-Bismol?~

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That's it. Yep I intended on ending it there, which I am sure will get a few people mad at me, but I guess that is an author's privilege - Ne? *sigh* I only wanted to write this part so if anyone has ideas for the rest, you are more then welcome too it, just ask me first. 

Thanks,

Crazy


End file.
